Page 86 of Fury

Unsettled at the ominous answer, Hollyn faltered. “What’s your end goal here, Leila? If that’s even your name.”

“My name makes no difference,” the woman who was now a stranger answered. In one of the screens on the wall, Benn and Glace slid into view. They were searching the perimeter of the apartment high-rise.

Hollyn desperately wished there was a way to warn them what was happening.

Leila typed something into the system, then spoke into a radio. “They’re around the east corner.”

Near the wall of windows, Archie stared out into the darkness.

Hollyn dropped her gaze to the table, unable to stomach the sight of him. “You’re not going to get away with this.”

“I already have.”

“Davis and Fury will find me.” Hollyn’s heart raced in her chest. “And when they do?—”

“You’ll be dead.” Leila shook her head. “I just wish I’d be around to see his face.” She indicated to the screen where a couple other men similar to Bouncers One and Two stalked along the side of the building. “I’d start saying your prayers now. Once I finish this, I won’t need you.”

The sickening realization that Leila never intended for Hollyn to make it out alive hit her like a brick wall. No wonder she hadn’t held back details.

What did you do? No matter where you go, people die around you.

Tears welling, Hollyn trembled. Her bound hands strained against the zip ties, and bile rose in her throat.

“If we’re done with the dramatics, I’d like to get on with business. The buyers are waiting, and there’s a lot of money poised to fall into my account.” Leila glared at Archie. “Watch her. She escapes, you die.” With an unaffected sigh, she turned to Hollyn. “I’d say it’s been nice knowing you, but who has time for lies? But really, I do owe you thanks. Without that brain of yours, none of this would be possible.”

“Don’t do this.”

Leila grinned as she and the bouncers trudged out of the room. “I’ll leave the live feeds up so you have a front-row seat to the deaths of your friends.”

“Leila!” Hollyn yelled. “Stop!”

The only response to her demand was the sound of the door lock clicking into place.

17

DOWNTOWN ABU DHABI, UAE

Davis nailed the accelerator,begging the Jeep to beat the GPS-predicted arrival time. In the backseat, Fury panted heavily. Paced back and forth, his whine piercing the road noise. On Corniche Street, traffic started to slow. “C’mon, c’mon,” he muttered, yanking the wheel around one car. Darting behind another. Gunning it. Dang, he needed another route. He took an opening between cars and swerved onto Al Bateen. The dash screen rerouted.

“Find her yet?” He spoke to Benn and Glace through comms, eyes on the road.

“Negative,” Benn growled, clearly ticked off.

Davis didn’t blame the guy. They didn’t have time for this. What had Hollyn been thinking? He tugged his tie free. Undid the top button of his shirt. Stretched his neck. Better.

Looking in the opposite direction, a lady stepped off the curb to cross the road. Her head jerked his way, and the headlights lit her wide-eyed expression.

“Come on!” he yelled. Punched the horn and swerved around her.

It’d been years since this level of panic had amped him up. But this was Hollyn he was talking about. The one person he wanted to protect more than anything in this life and was failing at right now. Squeezing the wheel, he knew what he had to do.

“Okay!” he prayed aloud. “You’ve got my attention now, all right?” He felt dumb verbalizing this but continued. “I can’t do this without Your help. I get it now.”

He swung around a BMW.

“Please,” he continued. “I need You to get me there before anything happens to her. I’m sorry I’ve been MIA for so long thinking I could do everything on my own. Just . . . don’t let her pay the price for my silence.”

Immediately, something he couldn’t quite put a name to flared to life in his chest. He’d take that as God letting him know he’d been heard. His resolve not to let this end badly doubled. Hollyn put her trust in the Big Guy. It was time he did too.

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